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Penguins arrive at Mote Marine aquarium

A caretaker holds one of six black-footed penguins at Mote Marine in Sarasota on Monday morning.

STAFF PHOTO / MIKE LANG

Staff report

Published: Monday, October 17, 2011 at 11:29 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, October 17, 2011 at 4:05 p.m.

SARASOTA - Their local digs are not quite ready, and it is not yet showtime, but the endangered black-footed penguins who will be the star attraction at Mote Marine Laboratory next month still had on their tuxedos Monday.

The six endangered black-footed penguins were on display briefly Monday — with all their tuxedo-like feathering — during a sneak-peek provided to local media as a way to build anticipation about the new Penguin Island exhibit opening at Mote on Nov. 1.

The penguins were flown to Sarasota recently from their permanent home at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif. as part of an exchange program. The penguins are native to South Africa, where they are endangered in the wild. Mote wants to display the penguins to show how marine life across the world faces the same threats — loss of habitat, pollution and environmental changes - as species native to this area.

Mote is still building the island home for the penguins; the display will open on Nov. 1 and run through February. For more information, call 388-4441, or online at www.mote.org. Viewing of Penguin Island will be included in the regular Mote admission price.

Tickets are $17 for adults, $16 for seniors older than 65 and $12 for children age 4 to 12. To learn more, call 388-4441. To learn more about Penguin Island, go to http://penguinisland.net/

The penguins flew by plane to Sarasota from Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif. Mote's penguins are named Sly, South, Rudy, Oswald, Ninja and Coaster.

<p><em>SARASOTA</em> - Their local digs are not quite ready, and it is not yet showtime, but the endangered black-footed penguins who will be the star attraction at Mote Marine Laboratory next month still had on their tuxedos Monday.</p><p>The six endangered black-footed penguins were on display briefly Monday — with all their tuxedo-like feathering — during a sneak-peek provided to local media as a way to build anticipation about the new Penguin Island exhibit opening at Mote on Nov. 1.</p><p>The penguins were flown to Sarasota recently from their permanent home at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif. as part of an exchange program. The penguins are native to South Africa, where they are endangered in the wild. Mote wants to display the penguins to show how marine life across the world faces the same threats — loss of habitat, pollution and environmental changes - as species native to this area.</p><p>Mote is still building the island home for the penguins; the display will open on Nov. 1 and run through February. For more information, call 388-4441, or online at www.mote.org. Viewing of Penguin Island will be included in the regular Mote admission price.</p><p>Tickets are $17 for adults, $16 for seniors older than 65 and $12 for children age 4 to 12. To learn more, call 388-4441. To learn more about Penguin Island, go to http://penguinisland.net/</p><p>The penguins flew by plane to Sarasota from Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Calif. Mote's penguins are named Sly, South, Rudy, Oswald, Ninja and Coaster.</p>